Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Konvict, Konvict (yeah)
Akon and Young Jeezy
Tryna take it easy (yeah)
Only way to go (ayy)
You already know what it is, nigga
You already know what it is, nigga
And so
Ayy, let's get it
But if you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (ayy, yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah, let's get it)
Tonight I can't sleep, we livin' in Hell (yeah)
First they, give us the work then they throw us in jail (ayy)
Road trip, yeah, I'm traffickin' the white
Please, Lord, don't let me go to jail tonight (yeah)
Who me? I'm a soul survivor
Ask about 'em in the street, the boy Jeez a rider (Jeez a rider)
A hundred grand on my wrist, yeah, life sucks (haha)
Fuck the club, dawg, I rather count a million bucks (ayy)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Another day, another dolla (dolla)
Same block, same nigga, same part, same green (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I guess we got the same dreams (ayy)
Or is it the same nightmares (nightmares)
We let the doves do it for us, we don't cry tears (that's right)
Real niggas don't budge
When mail man got his time he shot birds at the judge (yeah)
I'm knee deep in the game
So when it's time to read up, I'm knee deep in the 'caine (damn)
Real talk, look, I'm tellin' you, man (tellin' you, man)
If you get jammed up don't mention my name (nah)
Forgive me Lord, I know I ain't livin' right
Gotta feed the block, niggas starvin', they got appetites (ayy)
And this is everyday, it never gets old (old)
Thought I was a juvenile stuck to the G-Code (yeah)
This ain't a rap song, nigga this is my life (this is my life)
And if the hood was a battlefield then I earn stripes (yeah)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Gotta watch your every move 'cause them eyes be on you (eyes be on you)
Gotta drive real cool when them pies be on you (pies be on you)
Just 'cause we stack paper and we ball outrageous (ball outrageous)
Them alphabet boys gotta us under surveillance (ayy)
Like animals, they lock us in cages
The same nigga that's a star when you put 'em on stages
I ain't cheat, played the hand I was dealt
Tried to tax the grand pearl when I got it myself (let's get it)
No nuts, no glory (no glory)
My biography, you damn right, the true story (yeah)
Set the city on fire, and I didn't even try (try)
Run these streets all day, I can sleep when I die (ayy)
'Cause if you lookin' for me you you can find me
On the block disobeyin' the law
A real G, thoroughbred from the streets
Pants saggin' with my gun in my drawers
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now, ayy
But if you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Akon and Young Jeezy
Tryna take it easy (yeah)
Only way to go (ayy)
You already know what it is, nigga
You already know what it is, nigga
And so
Ayy, let's get it
But if you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (ayy, yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah, let's get it)
Tonight I can't sleep, we livin' in Hell (yeah)
First they, give us the work then they throw us in jail (ayy)
Road trip, yeah, I'm traffickin' the white
Please, Lord, don't let me go to jail tonight (yeah)
Who me? I'm a soul survivor
Ask about 'em in the street, the boy Jeez a rider (Jeez a rider)
A hundred grand on my wrist, yeah, life sucks (haha)
Fuck the club, dawg, I rather count a million bucks (ayy)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Another day, another dolla (dolla)
Same block, same nigga, same part, same green (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I guess we got the same dreams (ayy)
Or is it the same nightmares (nightmares)
We let the doves do it for us, we don't cry tears (that's right)
Real niggas don't budge
When mail man got his time he shot birds at the judge (yeah)
I'm knee deep in the game
So when it's time to read up, I'm knee deep in the 'caine (damn)
Real talk, look, I'm tellin' you, man (tellin' you, man)
If you get jammed up don't mention my name (nah)
Forgive me Lord, I know I ain't livin' right
Gotta feed the block, niggas starvin', they got appetites (ayy)
And this is everyday, it never gets old (old)
Thought I was a juvenile stuck to the G-Code (yeah)
This ain't a rap song, nigga this is my life (this is my life)
And if the hood was a battlefield then I earn stripes (yeah)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Gotta watch your every move 'cause them eyes be on you (eyes be on you)
Gotta drive real cool when them pies be on you (pies be on you)
Just 'cause we stack paper and we ball outrageous (ball outrageous)
Them alphabet boys gotta us under surveillance (ayy)
Like animals, they lock us in cages
The same nigga that's a star when you put 'em on stages
I ain't cheat, played the hand I was dealt
Tried to tax the grand pearl when I got it myself (let's get it)
No nuts, no glory (no glory)
My biography, you damn right, the true story (yeah)
Set the city on fire, and I didn't even try (try)
Run these streets all day, I can sleep when I die (ayy)
'Cause if you lookin' for me you you can find me
On the block disobeyin' the law
A real G, thoroughbred from the streets
Pants saggin' with my gun in my drawers
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now
Just keep on movin' now, ayy
But if you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
If you lookin' for me I'll be on the block
With my thang cocked possibly sittin' on a drop now
Because I'm a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
'Cause everybody know the game don't stop
Tryna make it to the top 'fore your ass get popped now
If you a rider (yeah)
Oh, yes, a soul survivor (yeah)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Soul Survivor Lyrics as written by Aliaune Thiam Jay Jenkins
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.